4. Marketing your vacancies appropriately and strategically
Define a website and job advert statement on recruiting people with convictions
Develop a unified statement based on your ex-offender policy that highlights your organisation's positive approach to hiring people with convictions, to be displayed on your website and recruitment pages/job adverts.
What does success look like?
A clear and consistent statement promoting inclusive hiring
Increased visibility and attraction of candidates with convictions
Enhanced stakeholder understanding of your inclusive recruitment stance.
How would Offploy do it?
Research the legal framework: Familiarise yourself with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and any relevant guidelines for hiring ex-offenders in your part of the UK. It is important to note that the law around disclosure and “spent/unspent” is different in the four nations of the UK. If your company operates across the UK you will need to be aware that rules in Scotland are slightly different from those in England & Wales. Northern Ireland is markedly different from the mainland. This will help ensure that your organisation's statement is compliant with the relevant local law and demonstrates a commitment to fairness and equal opportunities. See The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act | Criminal record advice | Nacro
Review your ex-offender policy: Consult your organisation's existing ex-offender policy to ensure that the statement aligns with your company values, other policies and practices. If you do not have a policy in place, consider developing one to provide a solid foundation for your recruitment statement.
Collaborate with stakeholders: Engage with internal and external stakeholders, such as HR, CSR managers, employees, and Trades Unions to gather input and feedback on the statement. This will help you create a statement that is comprehensive, representative of your organisation's values, and tailored to your specific industry and workforce. Importantly, it should help to gain “buy in” for your commitment to hiring ex-offenders.
Develop the statement: Craft a concise, clear, and positive statement that highlights your organisation's commitment to hiring people with convictions. Do not just cut and paste one from an online template. Use inclusive language and emphasise the benefits of a diverse workforce, the support you will provide to ex-offenders, and the value that their unique skills and experiences bring to your organisation.
Display the statement: Publish the statement on your organisation's website, particularly on the recruitment or careers page, and include it (as a link or a shorter summary) in all job adverts. Make sure it is easily accessible and visible to employees, partners, customers, and potential employees to demonstrate your organisation's commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility. Tucking it away in a folder will achieve very little!
Examples in Practice
Nothing to see here... yet.
We're still putting the finishing touches on our new Employing With Conviction Guide.